Equipment stand



5 A. F. PIEPER 2,715,272

EQUIPMENT STAND Filed March 1, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY MA. M

Aug. 16, 1955 A. F. PIEPER 2,715,272

EQUIPMENT STAND Filed March 1, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. ALPHONSE E P/EPER HIS ATTORNEY Aug. 16, 1955 A. F. PIEPER EQUIPMENT STAND 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 1, 1954 INVENTOR. ALPHONSEFPIEPER HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent 0.

EQUIPNHENT STAND Alphonse F. Pieper, Brighten, N. Y.

Application March 1, 1954, Serial No. 413,314

Claims. (Cl. 32-22) This invention relates to an equipment stand, more particularly of the type employed for dental engines and including a tool arm and motor for driving a tool mounted on the tool arm, and has for its purpose to afiord a simple structure that is less costly to produce, more efficient, and can be more readily operated than equipment stands heretofore available for the purpose, while at the same tirne concealing and protecting the motor.

In devices of this character, it is necessary that the tool arm have movement both vertically and horizontally to adapt it to the various operative positions and to permit its being swung upwardly when not in use, and such universal movement of the tool arm has been accomplished heretofore by mounting the tool arm fixedly on the motor supporting frame and imparting universal movement to the motor and motor frame by mounting them in such a manner as to impart movements about both horizontal and vertical axes, the tool arm being rigidly connected to the motor and partaking of the same movement as the motor and motor frame. It has also been proposed in order to protect the motor to mount the motor fixedly within a housing with the motor shaft extending outside the housing and operatively connected by pulleys and belts to a tool mounted upon a tool arm which has movement about two perpendicular axes, in which instance the horizontal axis about which the tool arm swings is spaced from its vertical axis and necessitates somewhat complex and intricate mechanism for communicating movement of the motor shaft through pulleys and belts to the tool at the end of the tool arm.

All such structures have proved difiicult and costly to manufacture and service by reason of the imparting of the required universal movements to either the motor or tool arm, such universal movement having been applied to but one of these elements, and an object of the pres ent invention is to afford a simpler arrangement that can be produced at a substantially lower cost than prior types of apparatus, which has fewer parts and requires a minimum of servicing, while permitting the necessary universal movement of the tool arm in perpendicular planes.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a structure that lends itself readily to mounting in the top of a hollow pedestal of an equipment stand, and which enables protecting the motor and its pivotal mountings and other associated parts from dust and dirt at all times.

Still an additional object of the invention is to provide an arrangement in which a motor is supported on pivotal bearings for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, the tool arm being mounted to partake of the same swinging movement about a horizontal axis that charac-. terizes the movement of the motor, while the tool arm also has an additional movement about another axis independently of the motor, and for this purpose is mounted coaxially of or on an axis alined with the axis of the motor shaft so that the tool arm may swing upon the motor shaft, or about a support in line with that of the motor shaft, thus greatly simplifying the mounting of the motor and increasing the efliciency and easiness of operation Z ,7 l 5 ,2 72 Patented Aug. 16, 1955 ice of the device by imposing movement in only one plane on the motor itself and movement in only one plane on the tool arm independently of the motor.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts that will appear clearly from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the novel features being pointed out in the claims following the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an equipment stand including a dental engine, and illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken centrally of the upper portion of the hollow pedestal of the equipment stand, showing one form of the invention with the tool arm in its uppermost position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the tool arm in its lowered position;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, showing in dotted lines the positions which the tool arm can assume during its lateral swinging motion;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the structure illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3, partially broken away, showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken in a plane similar to Fig. 3, showing a further modification, and

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the structure of Fig. 8 taken in a plane perpendicularly to that of Fig. 8.

The invention is in the nature of an improvement on the structure shoWn in Patent No. 2,343,620, March 7, 1944, and the structures herein shown and described are intended to be merely exemplary of some practical adaptations of the invention. Referring more particularly to the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views, and to Figs. 1 to 5, 1 designates a hollow pedestal or standard of suitable form such as employed in dental engine equipment stands, and which is provided with an opening 2 at its upper end through which the motor may extend, in some forms of the invention, for connecting it operatively with the tool that is supported at the outer end of the tool arm 3.

4 designates an electric motor suitable for operating the tool, and in the present invention, the motor 4 is mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis only. For this purpose, when the motor is to be mounted within the hollow pedestal, there is provided within the pedestal a supporting ring 5 on which is secured a casting 6 having upstanding arms 7 provided with horizontally arranged pivotal mountings or supporting means 8 upon which the motor is pivotally supported, through a suitable motor frame 9 that is fixedly attached to the motor and provided with a counterbalancing weight 11 fastened thereto for a purpose that will appear presently.

With this arrangement, the motor 4 can swing about a horizontal axis from the position illustrated in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3 in order to lower the tool arm 3 from its uppermost position to its lowermost position, and the tool on the tool arm is rotated by a suitable pulley 12 fixed upon the upper end of the motor shaft 13 immediately above the motor 4.

14 designates a cover or plate that is fixedly mounted at 15 upon brackets or extensions 16 on the motor supporting frame 9, the cover 14 having an external curvature conforming to the arc of movement of the motor about its horizontal swinging axis and fitting within the opening 2. The pedestal is provided with a rubber or flexible ring 17 attached to the undersurface of the pedestal surrounding the opening 2 and alfording a close fit with the cover 14, which extends upwardly into close proximity with the pulley 12, and has an opening .at its top through which extends a housing 18 that is attached at 19 to the cover 14.

The tool arm 3 has attached thereto a hub 21 that is journalled on a pin or hearing 22 secured to the top portion 23 of the housing 18, the bottom of the tool arm hub'21 and its supporting pin or hearing 22 being located immediately above and slightly spaced from the upper end of the motor shaft 13. The supporting bearing 22 is in vertical alinement with the motor shaft 13 so that the tool arm 3 swings about an axis that is in line with the axis of the motor shaft 13 and the swinging movement of the tool arm 3 is about an axis that intersects the horizontal axis about which the motor swings. The housing 18 is cut away on one side to afford an opening 24, see Fig. 5, to accommodate the belt from the drive pulley to the tool and to permit swinging movement of the tool arm 3 through an angle of approximately 90.

Thus the tool arm 3 can swing independently of the motor and motor shaft about an axis alined with the axis of the motor shaft, and the movement of the tool arm is about an axis perpendicular to the axis about which the motor swings, resulting in a universal adjustment movement of the tool arm while the motor has swinging movement only about a single axis.

The counterbalancing weight 11 attached to the motor frame functions to compensate for the weight of the tool arm and tool mechanism located on the opposite side of the motor and thereby to hold the tool arm and 'tool mechanism in any desired position of adjustment after it is moved to such position, while 25 designate conductors leading from any suitable power source to the motor 4.

While the cover 14 is shown as generally of spherical shape, it may be of any desirable contour suitable for enclosing the motor and motor frame and having a curvature in one plane or direction to permit the necessary swinging movement of the cover within the opening 2 as the motor and motor frame are oscillated about a horizontal axis.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a modified form of the invention in which the motor and motor frame are mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis in the same manner as previously described, and the tool arm 3 is mounted within the housing 18 similarly to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to inclusive. In the modified form, a cover 26 is fixed to the pedestal at 27 instead of being movable with the motor frame into in any suitable fashion to the housing 18 and positioned in juxtarelation under the cover 26, the guard plate 29 being of a width and length to cover the opening 28 in the different positions of the motor and housing 18.

A'further modification of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 in which the motor and motor mountings are constructed as in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, while the previously described housing 18 is omitted and the drive pulley and tool are differently arranged with respect to the motor shaft. In this modified form, the cover is indicated at 31 and is attached to the motor supporting frame for swinging movement therewith inthe manner already described. The cover 31 has an opening 32 at its upper end through which projects an extension 33 provided on the motor and including a collar or bearing 34 at its upper end upon which is journalled a hub 35 to which the tool arm 3 is attached, While 36 designates the drive pulley fixed on the motor shaft 37 immediately above the hub 35 and bearing 34. This structure enables mounting the tool arm for swinging movement around the motor shaft, the tool arm hub being supported in this instance on a bearing that surrounds the motor shaft at a point above the motor, while the drive pulley is mounted on the motor shaft above the tool arm bearing.

It is to be understood that the tool arm supporting 7 structure and drive pulley arrangement at the upper end of the motor shaft as. shown in Figs 8 and 9 may also be employed in conjunction with a housing as in the structure of Figs. 1 to 5, or with a fixed cover and housing such as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, or the housing may be omitted and a fixed cover employed with the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9. in which case the cover would be provided with a slot or opening to permit swinging movement of the motor, and the upper portion of the cover in such instance would be located around the extension 33, beneath the bearing 34 and hub 35.

Other adaptations of the cover are possible, as long as the motor and its supporting frame'are housed and protected and the tool arm is permitted swinging movement about an axis perpendicular to the horizontal axis about which the motor and motor frame swing, so that the motor has swinging movement about only a single axis while the tool arm has movement in two planes to permit its swinging either'upwa'rdly and downwardly or laterally, the up-and-down movement of the tool arm resulting from the swinging movement of the motor and motor frame while the lateral movement of the tool arm is independent of movement of the motor and motor frame.

While the invention has been described with reference to certain structural embodiments, it is not confined to the particular mechanisms or details herein disclosed and this application is intended to cover such departures or other modifications of the improvements as may come within the purposes of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An equipment stand provided with horizontally arranged mountings, a motor and motor supporting frame pivotally supported on said mountings and having swinging movement about a horizontal axis, the motor including a motor shaft, a drive pulley on the motor shaft, and a pivotally supported tool arm mounted on the motor supporting frame coaxially of the motor shaft and having swinging movement independently of the motor and motor shaftin a plane perpendicular to the plane of swinging movement of the motor, the tool arrn being fixed against any other movement relatively to the motor.

2'. An equipment stand including a support consisting of horizontally arranged mountings, a motor and motor supporting frame pivotally supported on said mountings and having swinging movement about a horizontal axis, the motor including a motor shaft, a drive pulley on the motor shaft, and a pivotally supported tool arm mounted on the motor supporting frame coaxially of the motor shaft and having swinging movement relatively to the motor and motor shaft about an axis alined with the motor shaft axis, the tool arm being fixed against any other movement relatively to the motor.

3. An equipment stand including a support consisting of horizontally arranged mountings, a motor and motor supporting frame pivotally supported on said mountings and havingswinging movement about'a horizontal axis, the motor including a motorshaft, 'a drive pulley on the iotor shaft, a mounting on said motor supporting frame alined with the motor shaft, and a tool arm pivotally supported on said mounting and having swinging movement relatively to the motor and motor shaft about an axis alined with the motor shaft axis, the tool arm being fixed against any other movement relatively to the motor..

4. An equipment stand comprising a hollow pedestal having an opening at its upper end, a support in said pedestal including horizontally arranged mountings, a motor and motor supporting frame pivotally supported on said mountings and having swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a cover fixed to said motor, said cover extending through and movable within said opening in the pedestal, the motor including a motor shaft extending above said cover, a drive pulley mounted on said motor shaft, and a tool arm pivotally supported on said motor supporting frame coaxially of said motor shaft and having movement about such axis independently of the motor and motor shaft, the tool arm being fixed against any other movement relatively to the motor.

5. An equipment stand comprising a hollow pedestal having an opening at its upper end, horizontally arranged mountings within the pedestal, a motor pivotally supported on said mountings and having swinging movement about a horizontal axis, the motor including an upwardly extending motor shaft, a drive pulley fixed on the motor shaft, a tool arm mounted coaxially of the motor shaft and having swinging movement independently of the motor and motor shaft about an axis alined with the axis of the motor shaft, a housing fixed to the motor and extending upwardly and partially around the pulley and tool arm, said housing having an opening at one side permitting swinging movement of the tool arm therethrough, and a cover attached to the pedestal within said opening and extending around said motor, the cover having an opening therein permitting movement of said housing during swinging movement of the motor.

6. An equipment stand comprising a hollow pedestal having an opening at its upper end, horizontally arranged mountings within the pedestal, a motor pivotally supported on said mountings and having swinging movement about a horizontal axis, the motor including an upwardly extending motor shaft, a drive pulley fixed on said motor shaft, a housing fixed to the motor and extending above the motor shaft and pulley and partially enclosing the same, a tool arm pivotally supported on said housing and having swinging movement coaxially of the motor shaft, and a cover secured to the pedestal within said opening and having a slot therein through which said housing is movable during swinging movement of the motor.

7. An equipment stand comprising a hollow pedestal having an opening at its upper end, horizontally arranged mountings with the pedestal, a motor pivotally supported on said mountings and having swinging movement about a horizontal axis, the motor including an upwardly extending motor shaft, a drive pulley fixed on said motor shaft, a housing fixed to the motor and extending above the motor shaft and pulley and partially enclosing the same, a mounting in said housing, a tool arm pivotally supported on said mounting and having swinging movement in a plane perpendicular to the plane of swinging movement of the motor, and a cover fixed to said motor, said cover extending through and movable within said opening in the pedestal.

8. An equipment stand comprising a hollow pedestal having an opening at its upper end, a support in said pedestal including horizontally arranged mountings, a motor pivotally supported on said mountings and having swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a cover fixed to said motor, said cover extending through and movable within said opening in the pedestal, the motor including a motor shaft extending above said cover, a drive pulley mounted on said motor shaft, a bearing secured to said motor and extending around the motor shaft, and a tool arm pivotally supported on said bearing and having movement relatively to the motor and motor shaft about the axis of the motor shaft.

9. An equipment stand comprising a hollow pedestal having an opening in its upper end and horizontally arranged mountings within the pedestal, a motor pivotally supported on said mountings and having swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a motor shaft, a drive pulley fixed on the motor shaft, a pivotally mounted tool arm having swinging movement coaxially of the motor shaft, and a cover attached to the pedestal around said opening and having a slot therein permitting swinging movement of the motor.

10. An equipment stand including a support consisting of horizontally arranged mountings, a motor pivotally supported on said mountings and having swinging movement about a horizontal axis, the motor including a motor shaft, a drive pulley on the motor shaft, a bearing secured to said motor and extending around the motor shaft, and a tool arm pivotally supported on said bearing and having movement relatively to the motor and motor shaft about the axis of the motor shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

